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Woodland Caribou 
COMMON NAME (S): Woodland Caribou (Mountain Caribou) Note: Northwest Trek also exhibits Barren-Ground Caribou that are of very similar appearance. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rangifer tarandus caribou CLASSIFICATION: Phylum: Chordata DESCRIPTION: Length: 6.5-7.5 feet (2-2.3 meters) RANGE: Subarctic Canada and some Northern states bordering Canada. HABITAT: Varies geographically from the tundra to mountainous forests. STATUS: General: Endangered in U.S. DIET: Consists of a variety of seasonal mosses, lichens, leaves, grasses, stems and shoots. REPRODUCTION: Breeding season extends from September through November. The gestation period is about eight months. Generally, the female gives birth to one or, rarely, two calves. At birth, the newborn will weigh 12-17 pounds. LIFE SPAN: 7-10 years. BEHAVIOR: Washington Selkirk woodland caribou generally exist in relatively small family bands. The herd inhabiting the old growth forest in the Washington Selkirks does not migrate great distances but will roam into Idaho and B.C. Regardless of the season or snow depth in the West, woodland caribou prefer to remain at elevations above 4,000 feet. Cows and calves sometimes emit a low, coughing grunt to keep in touch with each other and all grunt when startled. Woodland caribou produce a distinctive clicking sound in the lower leg that is thought to help herd members be aware of the movement of others. Visual cues like flaring the white undertail are very important in communicating potential danger. SOURCES: Wild Animals of North America, National Geographic |
